Inlet bushing for electrical dehydrators



Mar. 3. 1925.

F. w. HARRIS INLET BUSHING FOR ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATORS Filed May 14, 1924 ?atented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT FORD W. HARRIS, GF LOS ANGELES, CALIFOItNIA, .SSIGtIIIO-B,n TO PETROLEUE RCTL- FYING COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- TION F CALIFORNIA;

INLET BUSHIG FOR ELECTRICAL DEBYDBATORS.

Application led Hay 14, 1924. Serial No. 218,373.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FORD W. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented anew and useful Inlet Bushing for Electrical Dehydrators, ofnwhich the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to electrical-'de-` m hydrators such as are used in treating emulsions of petroleum oil and water for the purpose of separating thewater from such emulsions. In the treatment of oil by such an apparatus it is necessary to provide a container which is preferably entirely enclosed so that the escape of oil vapors therefrom can be prevented. It is also necessary to conduct electricity through the walls of this container to suitable treating apparatus placed therein.

AIn the treatment of petroleum emulsionsit is extremely common to use potentials of about 10,000 volts, and the problem of providing means for conducting electricity at this 'potential through the walls of the container is a serious one. It is common practice to provide inlet bushings which may be made of porcelain or composition material, these bushings being secured in the wall of the container and projecting therein.

Natural petroleum emulsions contain water, 4sand and certain other mineral matter in suspension. It has been found that in the treatment of petroleum emulsions @5 there is a tendency for the sand and other foreign matter to settle onthe surface of the insulating bushing inside the container. Such'material may, especially when wet, be a moderately good conductor of electricity with the result that conducting paths are formed on the surface of the insulator which tends to short-circuit the apparatus and which in many cases injure the insulator either by burning or cracking it. It is an object of my invention to provide a means by which the insulating qualities of. such bushings may be maintained even where a very dirty oil is being treated.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,-

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through a portion of an electrical dehydrator to which my invention has been applied. Fig 2'is a plan view thereof.

In the form of the invention shown, 11

is the roof or top'of the tank in which the treatment is taking place. Secured therein, preferably by welding at 12, is a vertical cylinder 13 which forms a gas pocket 15. A porcelain or composition bushing 20 has a metal flange 21 secured thereon, this flange being secured by welding at 22 to a plate 23 which is secured by means of bolts 24 to the top of the cylinder 13. The insulator 20 may consist of a cylinder 30 having skirts 31either formed or secured thereon. 'Secured to the top of the insulator 20 is a metal cap 33. A conductor 40 extends downwardly through the metal cap 33 and through a central opening 4l in the insulator 2O extending down into the interior of the container. Packing 45 is placed around: the conductor 40 where it passes through the metal cap 33, this packing vbeing compressed by a gland 46, the metal cap 33 and the` gland 46 with the packing 45 forming a stuffing box which prevents the escape of gas or other fluid around the conductor 40.

lso secured in the cover 11 is a second cylinder 50 which encloses a float chamber 51. Threaded on the upper end of the cyl inder 50 is a valve body 52. In the upper end of the valve body 52 a closed nipple 53 is threaded and a cap 54 is threaded on the top of the closed nipple. A float 60 is .placed ins'de the float chamber 51, being connected by a valve stem 61 with a valve 62, which closes an opening 63 'through the valve body 52 when the float is in its lower position, as'shown. A gas inlet pipe 70 connects through the cap 54 with the space above the valve body 52, this gas inlet pipe 70 being supplied with natural gas under pressure from a high pressure gas line 71 through a ball check 'valve 72.

The method of operation of my invention is as follows: Prior to filling the container, the arts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. gs the container is filled the emulsion tends to rise therein until it reaches the lower end of the gas pocket 15v and the float chamber 51. These float chambers being entirely enclosed, except for the as inlet pipe 70, the air which is centaine therein is trapped but may be s lightly compressed due to whatever pressure is put upon thel ingly increased, the level of the Huid in the two chambers being at all times maintained constant since the gas pressure in the two chambers is exactly equal and the liquid therein naturally tends to seek its own level. If for any reason the liquid inthe lower end of the 'gas pocket and the loat chamber rises to such a degree that it tends to wet the lower end of the insulator 20, the float 60 is at the same time suiliciently lraised to lift the valve 62 from its scat and to admit high pressure gas to the float chamber 51 through the pipe`7 0 and to the gas pocket 15 through the pipe 80. This gas under pressure tends to force the liquid in the bottom of the gas pocket and the iioat chamber downwardly until the ioat 60 falls to a sufficient degree to close the opening 63 and thus shut oii' a fresh supply of gas.

It will be seen that as long as the pressure in the high pressure gas line 71 is above the pressure inside the container, gas is maintained in the gas pocket 15 to a sufticient degree to prevent the liquidfrom covering or touching the outer surface of the insulator 20.l If the outer surface of this insulator is clean to begin with, it is maintained in a clean condition so that short-circuiting paths cannot be formed thereover.

By the use of my invention it is therefore possible to maintain the insulating valve of the insulating bushing even where very dirty or wet emulsion is being treated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination: a container adapted to contain anelectrically conducting liquid; an electric insulating bushing projecting into said'container; walls forming an enclosed pocket about a portion of that portion of the insulator which is inside said container; and means for supplying gas in said pocket.

2. In combination: a container adapted to contain an electrically conducting liquid; an electric insulating bushing projecting into said container; Walls forming an enclosed pocket about a portion of that portion of the insulator which is inside said container; an inlet pipe for supplying gas to said pocket; and means for shutting'oi the supply of gas whenever the level of the 3. In combination: a container adaptedv to contain an electrically conducting liquid;

an electric insulating bushing .projecting into said container; walls forming an enclosed pocket about a portion of that portion of the" insulator which -is inside said container; an inlet pipe for supplying gas to said pocket; a valve controlling the flow of gas through said inlet pipe; and means for closingsaid valve whenever the level of oil in said pocket reaches a predetermined point. i Y

4. In combination: a container adapted to contain an electrically conducting liquid; an electric insulating bushing projecting into said container; walls forming an enclosed pocket aboutra portion of that portion of the insulatorl which is inside Vsaid container; an inlet pipe for supplying gas to. said pocket; a valvecontrolling the How of gas through said inlet pipe; and a float for closing said valve whenever the level of' oil in said pocket reaches a predetermined point.

5. In combination: a container adapted to contain an electrically conducting liquid; an electric insulating bushing projecting into said container; .walls forming an enclosed pocket about a portion of that-portion of the insulator which is inside said container, said pocket being in open communication with the interior of the container at its lower end; walls forming a float chamber upon the same horiz'ontal level as said pocket, said chamber having its lower end in open communication with said pocket and its upper portion in-open communica.-

vtion with said pocket; and means for automatically regulating the level of liquid in saidl pocket.

6. In combination: a container adapted to contain an electrically conducting liquid; an electric insulating bushing projecting into said container; walls forming an enclosed pocket about a portionof that portion of the insulator which is inside said containerfsaid pocket being in open cominunication with the interior of the 'container at its lower end; walls forming a" float chamber upon the same horizontal level as saidpocket, said chamber having its lower i closed pocket about a portion of that portion of the insulator which is inside said container, said pocket being in open communication with the interior of the con- 5 tainer at its lower end; walls forming a float chamber upon the same horizontal level as said pocket, said chamber having its lower end in open communication with said pocket and its upper portion in open communication 10 with said pocket; a gas supply pipe delivering gas under pressure to said chamber; valve means closing said gas supply pipe; and a float in said oat chamber adapted to close said valve whenever the oil level in szid chamber falls below a predetermined 15 leve In testimony whereof, I have hereunt set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 7th day of May, 1924.

FORD W. HARRIS. 

